PretaLab, an initiative of Olabi, won the Transformative Education category at the STEM Women Awards 2026. The award was presented on Wednesday (19), during the STEM Women Congress São Paulo, held at FECAP. The awards recognize individuals, organizations, companies and initiatives making a significant contribution to the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in Brazil. The prize was received by Joyce Santos, project manager at Olabi and coordinator of PretaLab.
The STEM Women Congress brings together people and institutions driving the STEM ecosystem, creating connections, sharing knowledge and expanding the presence and opportunities of women in the sector. The event is part of a global movement headquartered in Barcelona, with editions in countries including Spain, Portugal, Canada, Ecuador and Peru, and arrived in Brazil in 2025.
For Silvana Bahia, co-executive director of Olabi and the founder of the initiative, the achievement is the result of collective work. "PretaLab was born to go beyond technology. We are here to open paths, to expand possibilities, to strengthen careers and to affirm that Black women are producers of knowledge, innovation and the future. That is why this achievement belongs to an entire network. It belongs to every woman who has come through PretaLab, to every mentor who shared knowledge and experience, to every member of our team who has worked and continues working so that this project can fly even higher, and also to everyone who believes in and builds this journey alongside us," she said.
The full ceremony can be watched at this link.
PretaLab
Created in 2017 within Olabi, PretaLab is today a national reference in inclusion and diversity in technology, focused on the leading role of Black women in building the future. Over these years, the initiative has trained more than 1,800 women, built a network of mentors and partners, and helped shape the debate on technology in Brazil.
Beyond its training cycles and other initiatives such as Aprofunda and Afrocódigos, PretaLab also provides consultancy to companies, foundations and organizations seeking to promote diversity, equity and inclusion in their internal processes.
The award adds to other recognitions received by the initiative and by Olabi, among them the World Summit Award (WSA Brazil) in the Inclusion and Empowerment category.